Premier League giants Manchester City have been charged by the Premier League for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) Rules.
The defending champions are now facing more than 100 alleged breaches of regulations guiding Premier League clubs on the conduct of financial dealings.
The alleged breaches of financial regulations by City was announced by the Premier League on its website.
The statement comes with a bold declaration by the Premier League that the club has been charged after it has found evidence of the alleged financial irregularities over the course of nine years, starting from 2009/10 to 2017/2018 season.
Excerpts from the full statements of the Premier League on the said allegation reads;
“In accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club to a Commission.”
What happens next?
Now that the Premier League have confirmed they have charged Manchester City for alleged financial breaches, the case will be taken up to related legal bodies, and if the charges are proven, Manchester City risk being expelled from the league. They can also suffer a point deduction – a less severe punishment than the former.
The larger picture
Manchester City and PSG’s spending have been a subject of the football governing body in Europe, UEFA, who believes the clubs are spending recklessly and have run amok against laid down rules guiding financial conducts and practices of clubs in Europe.
Spanish football executive and La Liga President Javier Tebas has been particularly vocal on how PSG and Manchester City have threatened the ecosystem of European football due to massive state funds sink into the club from their Arab owners.
Javier Tebas points out that these two big clubs in Europe have a way of shortchanging the rules of financial conducts due to the influence of their powerful owners.
In 2020, UEFA banned Manchester City from Champions League football for two seasons for disguising at least £204million of sponsorship. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the ban as UEFA reportedly lacks enough evidence to back up their claims.
Sources of Premier League fresh allegations
After Manchester City sail through the sledgehammer of UEFA, they are now coming under the Premier League’s. According to reports, the Premier League is leveling the charges against City with the back up of an investigation which was launched in 2018.
A German outlet Der Spiegel published incriminating documents of Manchester City’s hidden financial dealings. The document is said to have been obtained by Rui Pinto – a Portuguese computer hacker
In the leaked documents, it was alleged Manchester City overstated sponsorship income with money paid by the club’s owners, instead of sponsors connected with the Gulf State.
Now, the Premier League claims it has been conducting its own independent investigations that has spanned over nine years, and have decided to prosecute the club.
What is the possible penalty for Manchester City if found guilty?
If City are found guilty of the allegations, it will spell doom for their Premier League title pursuit this season. They could face points deduction or outright expulsion from the league.
Manchester City reacts
In a statement on the club’s website, Manchester City expressed shock on the allegations by the Premier League.
However, they added that they welcome a review of the matter by an independent commission, and hopes the matter will be put to rest once and for all.
“Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.
“The Club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.
“As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.
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